Electric horn.



'M. E. H'EPBURN.

ELECTRIC HORN.

APPLICATION FILED 0012s, 1911.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

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MARTIN l HEPBURN, F EEG-IN, ILihiili3315.

ELECTRIQ HGRN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lilov. 2&5, lthfifi.

application filed October 28, 1911. Serial No. 656,915.

To all whom it may con-certs.-

Be it known that l, MARTIN E. HEPBURN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of" -Ill1no1s, have nvented certain new and use- 'ful Improvements in Electric Horns; and I do declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description 0 the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to WhlCl'l it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in electric horns and is designed more especially for use on automobiles for producing a warning alarm. I

The object 01 the invention is in the provision of a simple, practical and eflicient device of thecharacter referred to whereby the vibrations produced will be pronounced and positive when the diaphragm is viybrat'ed by the electric impulse.

usual way and A. further object of the invention is in the construction of the various parts thereof, whereby the same are compactly arranged and conveniently assembled in such a manner as to be adjusted relatively, thus producing an electric horn capable of withstanding the rough usage .to which such devices are necessarily subjected, said operative parts of the device being further protected from the elements of the weather and also dust and dirt which are liable to enter the mouth or the horn.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of. parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the complete invention with the parts properly assembled and in operative position; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same with the hood or cover removed theretrom showing the armature properly positioned in respect to its accornpanying parts; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the parts attached to the electro-mag net showing the supporting bar with the parts attached thereto; Fig. 4 is a side view of the electro-magnet and its accompanying parts: and Fig. 5 is a perspectire VlGW of the pinch sleeve.

In the illustrative embodiment of vention, 1 represents the body per the horn which is. Preterahly c?" other suite lathe or other machine, to obtain-the desired formation, and formed in said body portion is an annular chamber 2, providing a fiat front wall 3, having formed therein acircular opening 5. The reduced end of the resonatolwti is securely fastened to the front wall 3 of the body portion 1, within the opening formed in said wall by turning themetal against the inner surface of the wall as clearly shown.

Secured to the outer surface of the front wall or the body portion 1 is a bracket 7, which projects a suitable distance therefrom and provided with bolt openings 8 by means of which the horn may be rigidly attached to the automobile or other object, said bracket being preferably attached to the horn by lugs 9 cast with the bracket. and passing through holes formed for their re ception'in said wall of the body portion, the projecting ends of the lugs being turned over or riveted to form a rigid connection between the parts referred to. Removably secured to the outer enlarged annular edge of the body portion is a diaphragm 10 by means of screws 11 and secured to said diaphragm and centrally disposed thereon and projecting into the chamber 2, formed in the body portion 1 is a pinch sleeve 12 which is provided with interior screw threads within which sleeve a contacting screw 13 is attached to be turned "for proper and accurate adjustment for the purpose hereinafter described.

Detachably secured to the parts previously assembled is an electro-magnet supporting bar 14: screws 15 being passed through the outer forked ends of said bar through the diaphragm and into the flange of the body portion whereby-the said bar may be accurately adjusted upon the diaphragm.

The electro-magnets 16 are secured to the supporting bar 14 by anysuitable and mechanical manner and are rigidly supported thereby and fixed to the opposite ends of said electromagnets, is a circular insulating disk 17 composed of fiber or other non-conducting material to which disk the binding contact screws 18 and 19 are secured for attacliing the wires leading from battery ole source of electrical L arm 20 shown in Fig. 1.

The opposite or return wire leading from the battery is held in electrical contact with a branch wire 22 by a binding screw 23 thus electrically connecting the parts referred to; Secured to the insulated disk 17 in a transverse position in respect to the angular arm 20, is a flat re-.

silient plate 24 to which is secured a vibrating armature 25, the outer end of, said resilient plate being bent forwardly and provided with a platinum point 26 which is adapted "to intermittently contact with a similar point 27 carried by the outer end of said arm when current is permitted to pass through the electro-magnet. Located between the electro-magnets thus positioned is a plunger rod or tapper 28 which is adapted to be reciprocated by the vibrations of the armature, the outer end of said rod passing through the insulated disk 17 and located adjacent to the inner surface of the armature and is adapted to be actuated thereby, the opposite or inner end of said rod being slidably located within an opening formed for its reception in the electromagnet supporting bar 14:, and projecting a sufiicient distance therefrom to intermittently come in contact with the projecting end of the screw 13 of the diaphragm 10 when the armature is vibrated by the action of the current.

By the formation of the body portion and the chamber formed therein all dirt or other accumulations may, be easily removed from the horn in front of the diaphragm which provides an air space and greatly increases the sound produced by the vibration of saiddiaphragm when operatedupon in a manner previously described.

It is further to be noted that in carrying out the invention there is only one spring employed which has reference to the resilient plate 2 1 to which the vibrating armature 25 is secured, and further by the construc tion of the supporting bar 14: and the means for securing the said bar, its accompanying parts can be accurately adjusted to cause the reciprocating plunger or tapper 28 to be adjusteddirectly over the contacting screw 13' carried by the diaphragm, the said supporting bar being arched whereby the same is out of contact withthe vibrating portion of the said diaphragm.

Removably secured over the parts thus assembled is a dome shaped hood or cover,-

- '29,.which is secured in position byscrews ing? wires leading from the battery are passed. 1

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying draw" cured to the latter whereby a chamber is formed between the diaphragm and front wall of said body portion, electro-magnets out of contact with the vibrating portion of the diaphragm, an insulating disk supported by the magnets, an arm mounted upon said. disk, an armature resiliently secured to the disk and'adapted to intermittently contact with the arm, means for supplying a current of electricity to vibrate the armature, a plunger or tapper guided and held in its proper position in respect to the armature, and a screw carried by the diaphragm against which the plunger contacts.

2. An electric horn comprising a hollow body portion. having a front wall provided with an opening, a resonator projecting from the wall and'leading from said opening, means attached .to the said front wall of the body portion for securing the horn to an object, a diaphragm removably secured to the body portion whereby a chamber is formedbetween the diaphragm and front wall-of thebody portion, an arched supporting bar the opposite ends of' which are forked, screws passed through said forked ends of the supportim bar and adjustably holding the latter in position, 'electro-magnets secured to said adjustably secured to the body portion and supporting bar, an insulating disk mounted upon the said-electro-magnets. a rigid arm fastened to the outer face of the insulating disk and provided with a contact point, a resilient plate also secured to the outer face of, the insulated disk and arranged in a transverse position with respect to'the rigid arm and also provided with a contact point, a vibrating armature fastened to the resilient plate, a reciprocating plunger or tapper slidably located in openings formed in the supporting. bar and insulating disk, the outer end of said plunger or tapperprojecting a suitable distance beyond the insulating disk and adapted to contact with the armature, a sleevecarried by the diaphragm l and projecting into the'chamber formed in the body portion, an adjusting contact screw carried by said sleeve with which the inner end of the plunger or tapper is adapted to contact, and euitableielectrical connections leading from a suitable source of electric energy and connected to the rigid arm and resilient plate respectively whereby the armature is intermittently operated.

An electric horncomprising a hollow body portion, a resonator secured to the frontwall thereof and projecting therefrom and communicating with the interior of said body portion, a diaphragm removably secured to the latter whereby a chamber is formed between the diaphragm and front wall of the body ortion a supporting bar secured to the 100 y portion and adjustable in respect to-the diaphragm and out of conl tact with the vibrating; electro-magnets carried y portion 7 thereof,- said bar, an insulating disk supported by the magnets, an I arm mounted-upon the disk, an armature resiliently secured to; the disk and adapted. -to intermittently contact with the arm;

and an adjustable screw carried'bythe dia-.

phragm against which the plunger engages; In testimony whereof I have hereunto set. my hand in presence of two subscr bing witnesses. 1

MARTIN E. HEPBURN. Vitnesses:

ROY R. PHILLIPS, CHARLES L. AB TT. 

